The present invention relates generally to a snow trail grooming accessory for use with a snowmobile. More specifically, the invention concerns a trail grooming accessory for use with an operating snowmobile to prevent the initial formation of snow moguls, snow mounds and the like, and also, to aid in leveling a snow trail affected by existing snow moguls, snow mounds and the like.
Various snow trail grooming devices exist in the art. Many of the known prior devices resemble towable sled devices hitched behind a vehicle for towing over a snow trail to groom the same. These devices are designed for use with personal motor craft (e.g., a snowmobile and the like) and industrial type towing vehicles. Of these, only the devices for use with a personal motor craft vehicle are intended for towing behind a snowmobile under operating conditions, i.e., at operating speeds while traveling over a snow trail. These devices can serve their intended purpose rather well, especially when one desires to tow a load of articles behind the vehicle while also performing snow grooming. However, when one does not desire to tow such a device behind their vehicle but still desires to conduct snow trail grooming while operating the vehicle, a more compact and economical trail grooming device is needed.
As appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, and moreover by the average snowmobile operator, most snowmobiles are driven by a centrally located track which comes into contact with a ground surface (e.g., usually snow), over which the snowmobile travels. During operation of the snowmobile, and particularly upon commencing forward travel, the snow engaging portion of the track moves from the front of the snowmobile to the back of the snowmobile. The track lifts some of the snow it contacts and displaces or sprays it backwards to a back track location where the track looses contact with the snow covered surface upon initial forward movement. As a result of the snow displacement or spray effect, a pile of snow is usually deposited just behind the position where the back end of the snowmobile was located.
If this pile is left alone, it merely represents a mound of snow in the snowmobile path or trail. If this pile is traveled over by other snowmobiles it is compacted and eventually forms a mogul or the like. In either case, this pile of snow creates a disturbance in the snowmobile trail. Such a disturbance is sometimes desirable to provide a more challenging snowmobile ride. However, even just one of these disturbances can make operating a snowmobile difficult given the unlevel or uneven snow surface on the snow trail. Furthermore, when considering a popular snow trail, it is evident that over a period of time and with many snowmobiles traveling over the same trail, the snow mound or snow mogul effect will be multiplied and the difficulty or lack of comfort to the snowmobile operator could become quite significant.
To a somewhat lesser degree, but still significant and particularly so depending on snow moisture conditions, during operation of the snowmobile over a snow trail, a snow spray is continuously propelled outward and upward from the back of the snowmobile, but not usually at a constant rate. The amount of snow spray depends on the speed of the snowmobile and the snow moisture conditions. Thus, in the ordinary course of operating the snowmobile, simply changing speeds can, regardless of moisture conditions, vary the amount of snow sprayed whereby any positive differential amount will cause a snow mound, and in due course over time a mogul or the like.
One way to deal with the snow mounds, snow moguls and the like is to remove them well after they have formed, i.e., with equipment that is proposed by some prior art devices. Such an approach is commendable, however, it can ignore the bigger part of the problem, namely, the creation of snow mounds, snow moguls and the like in the first place. Furthermore, with some prior art devices, although they remove the snow mounds, moguls and the like, solving one problem, such action often creates another problem. Over a short period of time, employing merely a device or method that removes the trail disturbance well after its formation tends to form a snow trail rut where the prior art device has scraped over the snow trail and pushed the loose snow off or out of the sides of the device. As is obvious in geographic locations where there is not a steady supply of new snow or a substantial snow base, such a scrapping action significantly displacing the snow trail snow would destroy a snowmobile trail in a short period of time.
Accordingly, a more compact and economical trail grooming accessory, which can be directly attached to a snowmobile, is needed. Further, such a device will desirably include the features of enabling trail grooming while operating the snowmobile, in order to prevent the initial formation of snow mounds, moguls and the like, and with minimal disturbance to the natural snow covered condition of the snow trail.
In one aspect of the invention, I have provided a snow trail grooming accessory for use with an operating snowmobile to groom a snow trail during operation of the snowmobile. The snow trail grooming accessory includes at least one mounting arm, the mounting arm being mountable directly to a track suspension of the snowmobile. The accessory also includes a snow collector/leveler secured to the mounting arm wherein when the mounting arm is mounted to the operating snowmobile the mounting arm and the snow collector/leveler are pulled behind the snowmobile with the snow collector/leveler substantially skimming over a level portion of the snow trail and the snow collector/leveler impacting at least a portion of a snow mound, a snow mogul or a snow displacement in the snow trail.
In another aspect of the inventions, I have provided a snow trail grooming accessory for use with an operating snowmobile to groom a snow trail during operation of the snowmobile. The snow trail grooming accessory includes at least one mounting arm, the mounting arm being mountable directly to a track suspension of the snowmobile and being substantially fixed in position relative to the track suspension when mounted thereto. The accessory also includes a snow collector/leveler secured to the mounting arm wherein when the mounting arm is mounted to the operating snowmobile the mounting arm and the snow collector/leveler are pulled behind the snowmobile with the snow collector/leveler substantially skimming over a level portion of the snow trail and the snow collector/leveler impacting at least a portion of a snow mound, a snow mogul or a snow displacement in the snow trail.
In still another aspect of the invention I have provided a snow trail grooming accessory for use with an operating snowmobile to groom a snow trail during operation of the snowmobile. The snow trail grooming accessory includes a snow collector/leveler mountable to the snowmobile, the snow collector/leveler includes a tubular shell defining a temporary retention chamber therein which is adapted to receive snow from the operating snowmobile or a snow trail through at least one opening in communication with the temporary retention chamber. The temporary retention chamber includes a portion that is substantially bounded by a circumference of the tubular shell and the temporary retention chamber having a longitudinal axis wherein the temporary retention chamber is oriented in a non-parallel direction as defined by the longitudinal axis relative to a longitudinal axis of the snowmobile.
In yet another aspect of the invention, I have provided a method for grooming a snow trail with an operating snowmobile. The method includes mounting a snow trail grooming accessory directly to a track suspension of the snowmobile; and pulling the snow trail grooming accessory behind the operating snowmobile wherein the snow trail grooming accessory substantially skims over a level portion of the snow trail and the snow trail grooming accessory impacts at least a portion of a snow mound, a snow mogul or a snow displacement in the snow trail.
In still other aspects of the invention, I have provided a pair of mounting arms which mount the snow collector/leveler to the snowmobile, a cross member for mounting the snow collector/leveler to the snowmobile, and various configurations and characteristics of the snow collector/leveler.
In accordance with the following, the present invention advantageously provides a way of slicing up snow mounds, snow moguls and the like, immediately upon formation, with a compact grooming accessory mountable to an operating snowmobile. The invention may advantageously pull or draw snow trail disturbances forward into crevices or valleys where the snow trail surface is of a lower height than the average snow trail surface of a snowmobile trail, thereby smoothing out bumpy snow surfaces while traversing a snowmobile trail. The invention may advantageously at least partially deflect a portion of a snow spray or displacement of an operating snowmobile moving over a snowmobile trail. The invention may advantageously provide a snow trail grooming accessory that enables the snowmobile to be conventionally operated in a forward or reverse direction of travel and loaded on to and off of a towing trailer without having to adjust or remove the snow trail grooming accessory from the snowmobile.
These and other features and advantages of my invention will become more readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which drawings illustrate several aspects of my invention.